Thread: McCain joins New York rally for immigration reform

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/breakingne ... mig_reform

McCain joins New York union rally for immigration reform
BETH FOUHY
The Associated Press

Feb. 27, 2006

NEW YORK - Sen. John McCain brought his campaign for immigration reform to New York on Monday, joining a boisterous multiethnic rally in support of his legislation allowing undocumented workers to earn legal status.

In a packed auditorium at the headquarters of the local Service Employees International Union, McCain listened to immigrants including a New York City budget analyst from Congo, a college valedictorian from Guatemala, an aspiring physician's assistant from Pakistan and a plumber from Ireland describing their fear of deportation because of their uncertain legal status.

McCain, R-Ariz., was joined on stage by several Democratic lawmakers, including Reps. Jerrold Nadler, Nydia Velasquez, Anthony Weiner and Charles Rangel.

Rangel and Weiner heaped praise on McCain, a likely presidential candidate in 2008.

Weiner said that while he couldn't imagine personally voting for McCain, "If you're a Republican ... you are either on the McCain bandwagon or under the McCain bandwagon when it comes to immigration."

The House passed an immigration enforcement bill last year that called for building fences on the U.S.-Mexican border, allowing local officials to enforce immigration laws and requiring employers to verify the legal status of their employees.

By contrast, McCain's legislation, co-authored by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., would penalize employers who hire illegal workers but set standards for undocumented workers already living in the United States to earn legal status. It would create a guest worker program and boost border enforcement.

McCain's bill also would require immigrants to obtain tamperproof visas to work in the United States. An illegal resident already working in the United States could seek the visa but would have to pay a $2,000 fine, learn to speak English and work six years before applying for permanent residency.

McCain's bill is supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and several labor unions and religious groups.

Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., are promoting a separate guest worker program in which illegal residents would have to return home to apply for work visas.

President Bush has called for a temporary worker program as recently as his State of the Union address in January. But the effort has failed to gain traction since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, which triggered calls for a crackdown on immigration.

At the rally, McCain cited a recent Time magazine poll suggesting 71 percent of Americans support earned citizenship for undocumented workers. But he reminded the audience that the United States remains locked in a global war on terror that presented challenges for immigration reform.

"There are people around the world who want to do bad things to us," he said.

McCain also said he understood the frustrations of citizens in Arizona and elsewhere that had led to the development of the Minuteman Project, an armed citizen border patrol.

"They see our wildlife refuges being destroyed. They see hundreds of millions of dollars of uncompensated health care costs. They see law enforcement costs," McCain told reporters. "I certainly understand their frustration. I just don't agree with their approach to the problem."

The Minuteman Project has organized hundreds of volunteers to patrol the border in California, New Mexico and Arizona and report to authorities any efforts to cross it illegally. It says it seeks to "bring national awareness to the decades-long careless disregard of effective U.S. immigration law enforcement."

Blech!! What Rhinocerous pizzle!

CAll them. Tell them we are putting every last Republican OUT in 2006, if we have any more of this talk. A Democratic Congress will impeach Bush as the FIRST ORDER of business, and the GOP elites KNOW that is true.

Dont like the witch? No problem.. When Bush is impeached , there will still be a Republican Haskert for our Prez (Cheney goes down with Bush).
The Dems will try to pass all kinds of silly legislation, but will be stymied every move they make, by a REP president. In two years, the people will be so thoroughly sick of their silliness, then we grassroot republicans can elect the candidate that a CHASTINED Republican party will give us.

Its a great plan, guys. (Its DXD's) plan, so I dont claim it, but the more I think about it, the happier I get. The Republican Party needs to be punished SEVERELY for their betrayal of the American worker.

At the rally, McCain cited a recent Time magazine poll suggesting 71 percent of Americans support earned citizenship for undocumented workers. But he reminded the audience that the United States remains locked in a global war on terror that presented challenges for immigration reform.

That percentage seems extremely high. I would like to know who was polled. McCain's 'amnesty' plan is unfair to other people seeking citizenship, as well as the security of our country.

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